Sound the Bugle
by Kadasa-Mori
Summary: Harry's now 23 and must face the demon that's been haunting his life since he was born. One shot


**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters.

I do not own the song "_Sound the Bugle_" By Bryan Adams.

.  
.  
.

**Warning:** This story contains spoilers from booksSS – OotP. It takes place post-Hogwarts.

.  
.  
.

**Sound the Bugle**

**By: Kadasa Mori **

.  
.  
.

If anyone walked past him right now, they'd think he was sad because of the weather. The rain was coming down in sheets and people scurried down the almost empty streets, umbrellas not keeping them dry from the downpour.

Sitting alone, on a stone wall, staring out over the ocean, an emerald-eyed man sat. Now a full age of 23, The-Boy-Who-Lived was friendless. Not many people talked to him nowadays with the threat that was Voldemort, hanging behind his every move.

Harry Potter sighed, brushing his plastered black hair away from his eyes. He'd gotten eye surgery from the Muggle world after Hermione had begged him. A few years ago he almost lost his life because he dropped his glasses and couldn't see the death eater advancing on him.

At least now people didn't recognize him right away. He'd grown his bangs out to cover the scar, lost his glasses but other than that… not much had changed about him since he was seven… except for the almost daily attacks from death eaters.

_Trying to wear me down,_ he snorted.

"Excuse me?" He turned and looked at an elder lady. "Sonny, you might want to get out of the rain before you catch a cold."

"Thanks for your concern," he said emotionless, "but I don't care."

She frowned, "that's not healthy."

"My life has been anything but healthy."

She patted his shoulder reassuringly, "well you take care of yourself sonny."

"Will do," as soon as she was out of earshot he snorted, "not."

Pushing himself into a stand he turned and headed for his home for the last three days. It was hard having a home because they could target him better. He had very few things left anymore, clothes, his wand and that was about it.

**Sound the bugle now**  
**Play it just for me  
****As the seasons change  
****Remember how I used to be**

He smiled slightly as he recalled what Hermione would say if she saw what he lived in now, from experience with her seeing Ron's room. _"Harry! This place is a mess! How can you live in such a pigsty? Honestly._"

Ron's reply would be, _"Aw… give him some slack Hermione. He's on the run."_

And then they'd get into a big fight then leave to probably go make out or something. Harry smirked. They did that a lot in school.

That left him and Ginny. They'd laugh and make fun of Ron and Hermione then start talking about quidditch or homework or some other petty thing, just enjoying each other's company.

But that was then… now…

**Now I can't go on**  
**I can't even start  
****I got nothing left  
****Just an empty heart **

He'd lost everything of any value to him because of Voldemort. His parents when he was little. Sirius in his fifth year. He'd lost Ron and Hermione in an attack two years ago.

And just this month, probably the most painful of them all, he'd lost Ginny. He had just proposed to her and she said yes. They were on their way back to their apartment from the restaurant and had been ambushed.

He still hadn't gotten over it. He still heard her screaming for him as he had been hit with a crucio curse. She had just reached his side when the two dreaded words sounded from the death eater's mouth and a green light flashed out.

She heard it as well for her eyes went wide and she had just enough time to mouth 'I love you' before it hit her and she fell onto him.

He'd went berserk and killed all 5 death eaters. He'd told Rufus Scrimgeour that they'd gotten into a fight and hit each other by accident. He knew the minister didn't believe him but if Harry Potter was thrown into jail for killing 5 death eaters, people might start panicking.

He smirked, a slightly maddening look to go along with it. Maybe he should start rumors that he was dead. That might cause some amusement for him when Rufus showed up at his door to find him unharmed. He really did hate that guy.

"Harry Potter?"

Speak of the devil… He turned, expecting to see Rufus only instead he saw several wands pointed at him. He froze.

Lucius Malfoy grinned widely. "Fancy seeing you here…" Harry snorted but didn't say anything else. "Well, my master is waiting for you, come along." Harry shoved his hands into his pockets and followed slowly, like a school kid being sent to the principal's office.

A moment later, a shout rang out and the Death Eaters were now lawn furniture, Harry sprinting towards the beach.

Halfway to the water stood a cloaked figure who raised his wand at Harry before he had a chance to do anything.

"_Crucio…_" It whispered. A heartbeat later he was on the ground, twitching in pain, spasms hitting every muscle and nerve.

**I'm a solider  
Wounded so I must give up the fight  
There's nothing more for me  
Lead me away  
Or leave me lying here**

He groaned as he pulled himself to his feet again, face fixed in pain, eyes glaring at the cause of it. Voldemort grinning evilly raising his wand again. Harry braced himself for it.

"_Crucio…_"

As he yelled in pain, he swung his arm towards Voldemort who had been laughing. "_CRUCIO_!"

Voldemort yelped before also screaming in pain, Harry falling to the ground. Their concentration broke, both panted glaring at each other.

"That was not amusing boy." Voldemort spat. "_Crucio_." Harry got out another crucio before he was hit with Voldemort's attack. Yet again, both fell backwards.

Voldemort snarled at him, "_Sectumsempra!_"

**Sound the bugle now**  
**Tell them I don't care  
****There's not a road I know  
****That leads to anywhere**

"_Protego…"_ Harry said weakly. It wasn't enough to protect him completely but just enough to keep from killing him. He fell to the ground, fell warm blood mix with the cool rain.

Lying on the ground, panting he looked up at the triumphant Voldemort who was beginning to look a bit sickly.

"_Crucio…_" Harry murmured before Voldemort could stop laughing. A piercing scream echoed from Voldemort's body before the spell wore off, Harry completely exhausted, falling to his knees.

**Without a light**  
**I fear that I may stumble in the dark  
****Lay right down  
****And decide not to go on**

Voldemort walked over, laughing. He grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up off the ground. "So this is what's left of the famous Harry Potter?" He asked cruelly.

Harry glared then jabbed his wand between his shirt and stomach. "_Incendio_." He choked. Voldemort shouted and dropped him, stepping away as his stomach started burning.

"_Aguamenti!_" Voldemort shrieked, the water from his wand washing over the fire on his skin. He panted then looked for Harry who had fallen to the ground again.

He swallowed in air as he lay on the ground, rain falling around him. He had nothing left… absolutely nothing. Not even enough to open his eyes. All he could do was sit here like a fish out of water, gasping for air.

Between all of the curses and his many wounds, leaking life blood from his body… he had nothing…

He heard a high pitched laughter. "You have no energy left boy. I can feel it. Any more spell casting will use your life energy and lead to your doom." He smirked. "You might as well give up."

There was nothing he could do… no spells he could use. He was at a dead end. He'd just have to give up and wait for the inevitable of Voldemort killing him… wait to hear those last two words.

**Then from on high**  
**Somewhere in the distance  
****There's a voice that calls  
****Remember who you are**

"Harry!" Ginny's face shone in his mind, smiling brightly. "Harry! Don't give up!" He knew she wasn't real… it had to be his imagination.

She walked over and kneeled by his side putting a hand on his cheek. "Please don't give up! You have to kill him."

But… how can I do that? I don't have anything left… he's right…I might as well give up.  
She put her hands on her hips and scowled. "Now that's not the Harry I love talking. He wouldn't sound like some death eater, supporting Voldemort."  
Harry frowned. I'm not… it's just… I can't do it.  
"Not with an attitude like that you can't!" She smiled gently. She motioned behind her. "We know you can do it Harry." Behind her stood Lily with James having an arm around her waist, Sirius tossing a casual arm over his shoulders. Ron and Hermione stood there smiling as well. 

"_I_ know you can do it."

He smiled softly. _Ginny…_

She smiled back before getting to her feet. "Now up! We can't let him win!"

_No…_

"We won't let him win."

_No…_

"Then get up."

_And there we reach the problem…_ He sighed.

"Always humorous to the end…" She gave a weary sigh and dropped back next to him. "Did you give up when you found out it was Quirrell and Voldemort trying to obtain the Sorcerer's stone?"

He gave her a dull look.

"No!" She answered for him. "Did you give up trying to save me from the basilisk? No! Did you give up when Voldemort came back? No! Did you give up when Sirius died and the world found out that Voldemort was back? No! Did you give up-"

_All right! All right… jeez… You certainly know how to force someone to do something…._

She grinned brilliantly. "Now get your lazy bum up off the ground and do what you have to." Her smile fell a few notches. "Save the world Harry. I know you can." She slowly disappeared.

**If you loose yourself  
****Your courage soon will follow  
****So be strong tonight  
****Remember who you are**

_Ginny's right…. Harry Potter… the boy who lived. I didn't gain that by giving up!_ Harry thought and picked his weary body up of the ground, very slowly, into a semi standing, semi falling stance.

Voldemort laughed, "is this all that's left of the good of the world? A mere half-dead boy?"

Harry slowly raised his wand, pointing it at Voldemort who laughed as Harry's arm suddenly felt like lead and lowered a few inches.

"I told you boy. You've got no power left. All you'll be wasting is your life _trying_ to kill me." He grinned. "I doubt whether you'd be able to even stun me with what's left in that pathetic form of yours. You will die if you cast a spell."

"Well at least I know I'd be bringing you with me," Harry cried, summoning every grain of energy in his body.

Voldemort smirked and held out his arms. "Just try it, worthless boy. You've got nothing left. You can't do it. Even all of your life energy can't kill me."

Harry grinned cruelly as his wand started to glow and he saw Voldemort take a step, back, arms falling to his side.

"It's not possible…" Voldemort said slowly before snarling. "NOT POSSIBLE! YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT MUCH ENERGY LEFT!"

Harry smirked. "I've done the impossible before."

Voldemort fumbled for his wand, not being able to find it.

"Voldemort?"

He snapped his head up at Harry, looking panicked. "What!"

"Die."

**Yeah…  
****You're a soldier now  
****Fighting in a battle  
****To be free once more  
****Yeah that's worth fighting for…**

_Save the world Harry. I know you can._

"Avada Kedavra."

.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.  
.

If you have the movie **Spirit: Stallion of the** **Cimarron **then fast forward to the part where both him and Rain fell down the waterfall and he was on the train, all depressed. That's **Sound the Bugle**. If you don't have that movie then look it up on the internet. The story reads a lot better if you're listening to the music as well as reading it.

**Kadasa Mori**


End file.
